Charge Bikes

Best of British test win.

Hot off the press is the April issue of Cycling Active with the ‘Best of British‘ test on UK designed urban commuter bikes.
On test was our, new for 2012, Scourer, the Pinnacle Neon 3 and stalwart urban brand Ridgeback with their Flight 01 bike.
Our wide bars raised an eyebrow once again but someone sensible at the Cycling Active office happened to mention that “you can cut down handlebars but you can’t add extra on”… a point well made we think.
We come out on top with a total score of 90% or 91% depending on whether you look at the actual review or the verdict page but either way, we are happy with the result.
The Scourer £629.99 and it’s big brother, the Zester £899.99, are in stock now and ready to rip.

Red Bull Hill Chasers 2012

I headed up to Bristol on the weekend to compete in the Red Bull Hill Chasers event. Its a head to head sprint up Park Street which ran for the first time last year.

I was one of only a couple of people competing on a fixed gear and I think my Scissor made things a little difficult but it was a real laugh anyway. I grinned my whole way up the course.

When I was waiting to race, standing there in my denim jacket and leopard print jeans, one of the jock’s dads asked me whose bike I was holding and who was going to be riding it. When I told him it was mine he was very pleased that his lycra clad son was racing me and also asked me where my ‘race gear’ was…. I’m not sure that lycra would have really helped in a twenty second uphill sprint.

Pics above by Dave Noakes

I also really like this one taken by Jasper Tandy.

Big thanks to Redg from No Gears Bristol for showing us around on the day and of course a massive thanks to Charge and Red Bull for inviting me along.

Red Bull Hill Chasers 2012

Following the huge success from last years event, Charge Bikes teamed up with Red Bull to put on another spectacular spectator friendly, up hill bike race.

The centre of Bristol came to a standstill, as 32 riders on a variety of bikes raced up Park Street in an attempt to become this year’s Red Bull Hill Chasers champion.

A straight knockout format with two riders racing against each other saw fixies, BMX-ers, mountain bikers and road racers battle it out in an attempt to settle the fierce debate of which bike discipline is best uphill, up the full length of Park Street, in front of a 6,000 strong crowd.

Riders were paired randomly giving aspiring riders the chance to compete head to head against the 16 invited elite. The enthusiasts were made up of the fastest 16 riders from a qualifier, open to anyone, held on the morning of the event.

Last years winner and Charge Team rider Chris Metcalfe was pitted against Cannondale Liquigas Pro rider Ted King. Our heart sank as he was one of the favorites of the day. Thankfully Chris’s experience if these event proved priceless as he took the win,

Multi World Champion and Red Bull Athlete, Michal Prokop set the fastest time of the day on his 4X mountain bike, but sadly this was against Charge rider Jon Watson, Michal ironically was forced to retire from the Quarter Final with a broken chain. He said: “This was a unique race for me. Where else can you compete against so many different bikes?! Even though my chain broke I still had an awesome time taking on the enthusiasts!”

The semi final saw an elite vs enthusiast showdown in both races as Ben Simmons took on Gareth Montgomerie whilst John Whittington fought Cobble Wobble winner, Lewis Lacey. The enthusiasts prevailed as the final showdown saw Ben Simmons against John Whittington (23 from Redland, Bristol) both on road bikes.

In the end, there could be only one to take the crown from last year’s Champion, Charge Bikes’ Chris Metcalfe. And it was cycling enthusiast qualifier Ben Simmons who beat the elite riders with a blistering time.

After getting his breath back Simmons said he was,”shocked and surprised” at his win, especially as he’d travelled to Devon earlier that day to take part in another cycling event! “I’ve never taken part in anything as short and punchy as this before in such a great location. It’s so exciting. It’s a tough race and I never thought I’d win.

The top three riders who claimed the podium spots and rode home on their specially made prize Charge bikes were:

1st. Ben Simmons
2nd. John Whittington
3rd. Gareth Montgomerie

Qualifying

Mega bars

There where all sorts of different bikes and set ups on the day,

20 seconds gets you here!

Rob Reed

Charge rider, Rob Reed knocking out Dave Henderson from GT,

Prokop

Jough Watson

Chris Metcalfe defending his title

Chris Metcalfe

Winners!

Well done guys, we will see you next time!

Charge Cooker (29′er) video with Kye Forte

Alex Rankin went down to the woods and filmed Red Bull Athlete Kye Forte. We thought we’d give Kye a 29′er to play on and he loved it. Put the kettle on, make a brew and then press the play button.

Here’s the main spec for those interested:

• Medium Steel Cooker mid Frame
• RockShox Reba RLT 29″ 1 1/8″(QR, for now)
• Crank Bros Cobalt 2 29″
• Charge Ti Spoon
• Charge Griddle grips
• Charge Chopstick
• Truvative Holzfeller 55mm stem
• Truvative T30 15mm riser bar, 700mm
• Bontrager 29.3 TLR tyres with tubes
• Sram XO mech, 11-36 cassette and 10spd shifter
• Truvative Holzfeller cranks with 32t ring
• MRP 1X chain guide
• Avid Elixir 7 brakes with 160mm rotors F+R, 180 for DH

Red Bull Hill Chasers prize Plugs are in!

So here they are back from the painters, spruced up and ready for the taking. All you have to do is qualify, fend off 29 other elite hill sprinting superstars and one of these beauties is yours. Simple! To enter make sure you check out Red Bull’s event page for all the details. If you don’t fancy the challenge be sure to head to Bristol this weekend and cheer on those who do. It’s sure to be a spectacle that you won’t want to miss!

Charge Duster 11 review

For those that haven’t been able to look through last months WhatMTB, Bikeradar have now put the Duster 11 review up online.

Follow the link for the full review…..

Snowy Season Finale

So that’s it. Cross season done.

Since the new year the weeks and races have flown by. In the middle of January we headed to the national cross championships in Ipswich. Arriving the day before to see the course and watch some Junior and U23 races as well as Jough bossing the Vets, it was clear that the weather would be dry, and the course fast. It was technical only really in respect of the speed at which the racing would take place on the drying, smooth grassy surface of Chantry Park. No need for mud tyres or bike changes unless disaster struck by the looks of things.

Race day was a nervous affair. I was in the pits cheering Phoebe on in her first ever nationals, and she had a great ride, holding position in the mid-20′s before getting pipped by a couple of racers in the dying stages to finish 28th. Chapeau indeed, and certainly better than my first ever foray into national competition. In fact I hadn’t broken the top 30 at the last National trophy I’d ridden on a similar type of track at Derby.

To my surprise I wasn’t gridded too badly, 4th row or so and got an unspectacular start before getting baulked into the 2nd corner. Jough stormed past and I stuck to his wheel as he cleared a path with his elbows. The speed was furious over the first couple of laps, the spectators a blur in my peripheral vision. I was making progress though, sitting on wheels and jumping across to the next group of riders whenever I got the chance. ‘Top 20′ was may stated aim before the race, to which Phoebe raised her eyebrows and tried to play down my ambition. 2 laps in, I was 24th. Mike Cotty came into sight. 23rd. Then 22nd. Then a couple more riders honed into view. 20th. 3 laps to go. The barriers were uphill, and knee high and broke up my rhythm. Digging in, more riders came into sight with 2 laps to go, the green of HOPE riders Collins and Booth. Passing them uphill I started to pay for my efforts but buried myself into the headwind. I was on my own with a lap to go. Some dodgy cornering into the final bend and 2 riders were right back on me. A frantic uphill gravel finish for 16th place and a best ever ride.  I was totally spent but elated.

After the nationals we had a break and hit the French Alps for some altitude drinking, followed by a jaunt across the channel to see what real ‘cross riders look like. Along with an estimated 70,000 other spectators we ate frites and mayo and drank too much gluwein and watched Marianne Vos obliterate the opposition. Niels Albert rode away from the rest of the Belgian team who occupied the first 7 places in the final result, all demonstrating an uncanny ability to ride over sand dunes.

I came back to find that if I rode the last round of the Notts and Derby league I’d be able to win the league, providing I finished within a few places of ‘cross stalwart, sometime teamate, clubmate and good friend Lee Shunburne. Darley Moor is a old bleak WW2 airstrip near Ashbourne, now used for motorbike racing. It’s always windy, exposed and cold, even in the summer, so with the cold snap taking hold and snow expected, I made sure to pack my knitted knickers. Somehow though, even the kids managed to race around the frozen unforgiving circuit and at 2pm, just at the snow began to fall, the seniors race began. Icy corners, rock hard bumpy ground and a biting headwind meant the race soon strung out. Lee was breathing down my neck until the second lap, when he was held up by a fallen rider allowing Rob Parkin and I to forge a gap behind eventual winner Lister. Lee stalked us at 10seconds for the duration of the race, knowing if I fell or had a problem the league was his. The beer, frites and mayo eventually took their toll and I didn’t have the legs to contest the win, and Parkin took second place, but I came home safe in 3rd for the league title, Shunburne just behind.  With a season that started in 30 degree heat in September, it was somehow fitting it should end in the snow at -3degrees.

So after a whole season and after just 1 DNF (which I can honestly say was down to my mechanical skills) here’s what I’ve learnt. Titanium is the only material to make cross bikes from and both the Freezers still look new. Privateer racers take note- I’d be more confident using these season after season than any other bike I’ve ever used. SRAM levers work far better with cross brakes and double tap just works better for cross- having switched after a few early races I now know why they’re so popular off road. This week I’ll mainly be trying to remember how to ride on skinny road tyres ahead of Red Bull Hill Chasers II